By Ogochukwu Isioma
The President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Ahmadu Fintiri on his re-election victory as Governor of Adamawa State, METROWATCHXTRA.COM reports.
In a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists on Wednesday, Tinubu called on the police to investigate the controversy that trailed the outcome of the Saturday, April 15, 2023 Adamawa governorship supplementary election.
INEC on Tuesday declared Fintiri as the winner of the April 15 supplementary poll in Adamawa. He polled 430,861 votes to defeat Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who came second with a total of 398,788 votes.
The electoral umpire had earlier announced suspension of collation of results from the supplementary poll after the commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in Adamawa, Hudu Yunusa Ari, controversially declared APC’s Binani governor-elect, while the process was still on.
INEC subsequently voided the declaration by the embattled REC, noting that the action was an “usurpation of the powers” of the Returning Officer. The commission further directed Ari to stay away from all activities relating to the election and from its Adamawa office.
However, INEC reconvened on Tuesday to conclude the collation of results from the supplementary poll and declared incumbent Governor Fintiri as the winner of the election in the absence of the embattled REC.
In a congratulatory message to winners of the supplementary elections held in Adamawa and Kebbi States, Tinubu urged aggrieved candidates to pursue legitimate means of addressing their grievances.
He said: “I congratulate the winners of the Supplementary Governorship elections held in Kebbi and Adamawa States on Saturday, April 15, 2023.
“I also rejoice with those elected into the Senate, House of Representatives and Houses of Assembly during the last round of elections in states where such took place. These victorious men and women have earned the trust of their people and I call on them to rededicate themselves to the service of their respective constituents.
“The supplementary polls have now brought the 2023 elections to a final, fitting conclusion. I observed, with satisfaction, the largely peaceful atmosphere that pervaded the supplementary election on Saturday. It was a further testimony that our citizens have accepted democratic norms and have unalloyed faith in the electoral process.
“However, I note the matter of the Adamawa Supplementary Governorship Election and I urge police authorities to fully investigate all that transpired in the election given the attendant controversy. In every democratic contest, there has to be one winner. I call on those aggrieved to pursue legitimate means of addressing their grievances.
“With the conclusion of the 2023 elections, I now welcome all of us who have been elected to brace up to serve our people with diligence and dedication and to join hands with me as your President-elect in the pursuit of our agenda to renew the hopes of our people in a better, stronger, more secure, economically vibrant and prosperous Nigeria”.
